Much of trash deposited during the course of a business day has a high air volume such as plastic, paper or styrofoam containers. This is especially the case in the restaurant and fast-food industries. This type of refuse creates a large number of bulky refuse-filled trash bags. In many communities throughout the country, private trash removal or "waste management" firms provide refuse removal services to businesses. The cost for such services is basically driven by two elements, including (1) a rental fee based on the size of a refuse container, and (2) a pick-up charge which is equal to the volumetric size of the container multiplied by a unit volumetric charge (per cubic yard rate) times the number of pick-ups per week. Thus, in order for a business to manage the cost of refuse removal services, a business must minimize the size of its refuse containers and the number of pick-ups per week. Consequently, businesses often turn to the use of trash compactors to minimize the number of refuse pick-ups during a set period of time.
Many trash compactors used in a commercial setting are rather large, bulky devices that are electrically and/or hydraulically driven and are usually quite expensive, and require additional expensive equipment to facilitate unloading and transportation of compacted trash. Additionally, if the trash is compacted too tightly there is a risk the waste management firms may increase the rates of the removal charge. The expense of such a machine is especially significant for new businesses. Besides the expense of purchasing and installing these compactors, these compactors may often require an additional maintenance and repair service. Moreover, these large machines may present safety problems in the work place. Such problems may be avoided by using a smaller less complicated compactors.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,492,156 and 4,656,937 each disclose trash compactors with a hydraulically driven ram means for compaction of refuse in a container. Trash bags line a container that is adapted to be opened at its side to gain access to the refuse-filled trash bags.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,094 issued to Shontz discloses a trash compressor and receptacle that uses a compression plate operated by lever handle. The receptacle has two sections pivotally connected by a hinge to provide access into the receptacle.